Passively harmonically mode-locked vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser emitting 1.1 ps pulses at 147 GHz repetition rate

Coupled-cavity passive harmonic mode-locking of a quantum well based vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser has been demonstrated, yielding an output pulse train of 1.5 ps pulses at a repetition rate of 80 GHz and with an average power of 80 mW. Harmonic mode-locking results from coupling between the main laser cavity and a cavity formed within the substrate of the saturable absorber structure. Mode-locking on the second harmonic of the substrate cavity allows a train of 1.1 ps pulses to be generated at a repetition rate of 147 GHz with 40 mW average power. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Symmetrical 2-D Hermite-Gaussian square launch for high bit rate transmission in multimode fiber links

A 2-D Hermite-Gaussian square launch is demonstrated to show improved systems capacity over multimode fiber links. It shows a bandwidth improvement over both center and offset launches and exhibits ±5 μm misalignment tolerance. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

Dynamic recrystallization induced by plastic deformation at high strain rate in a Monel alloy

An investigation has been made into the plastic deformation behavior of a Monel alloy deformed at high strain rate of 10(5) s(-1) by split Hopkinson bar. The results reveal that there are some equiaxed grains with an average size of 150 nm in diameter in the center of the shear bands, suggesting that this microstructure characteristics be developed by dynamic recrystallization, arising from the deformation and the rapid temperature rise in the band. Analysis shows that the plastic strain rate and the mobile dislocation density play a key role in the new crystallized grain formation and growth. Based on grain boundary energy change and diffusion mechanism, the grain growth kinetics is developed for plastic deformation at a high strain rate.

Partial-mediated slips in nanocrystalline Ni at high strain rate

Previous experiments on nanocrystalline Ni were conducted under quasistatic strain rates (similar to 3x10(-3)/s), which are much lower than that used in typical molecular dynamics simulations (>3x10(7)/s), thus making direct comparison of modeling and experiments very difficult. In this study, the split Hopkinson bar tests revealed that nanocrystalline Ni prefers twinning to extended partials, especially under higher strain rates (10(3)/s). These observations contradict some reported molecular dynamics simulation results, where only extended partials, but no twins, were observed. The accuracy of the generalized planar fault energies is only partially responsible, but cannot fully account for such a difference. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Generation of 17-TW 23-fs pulses with a two-stage Ti : Sapphire amplifier at repetition rate 10 Hz

We have developed a two-stage Ti:sapphire amplifier system which can produce 17-TW/23-fs pulses at a repetition rate 10 MHz. A birefringent plate is used in the regenerative amplifier to alleviate gain narrowing, while an all-reflective cylindrical-mirror-based pulse stretcher and an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter (AOPDF) are used to compensate for the higher order dispersion of the system.

Repetition rate stabilization of the SBS Q-switched fiber laser by external injection

Repetition rate fluctuation is one of the main drawbacks of the low-threshold stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) Q-switched fiber laser. A method to stabilize the repetition rate is proposed in this paper by injecting a square-wave modulated light. It is measured experimentally that variance of the repetition rate can be improved from similar to 20% to similar to 1% of the period. It is also found that effectiveness of the method depends on modulation frequency and duty cycle of the injection. Its working mechanism is analyzed qualitatively. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Er3+ and Yb3+ codoped phosphate laser glass for high power flashlamp pumping

A novel Vb(3+)-Er-(3+) codoped phosphate glass for high power flashlamp pumping and high repetition rate laser at 1.54 mu m, designated EAT5-2, is developed. The weight-loss rate of is 1.3 x 10(-5) gcm(-2) h(-1) in boiling water, which is comparable to Kigre's QX-Er glass. Some spectroscopic parameters are analysed by Judd-Ofelt theory and McCumber theory The emission cross section is calculated to be 0.73 x 10(-20) cm(2). The thermo-mechanical properties of EAT5-2 are modified after an ion-exchange chemical strengthening process in a KNO3/NaNO3 molten salt bath. The thresholds for optical damage from the flashlamp pumping are tested on glass rods. A repetition rate of 15 Hz is achieved for chemically strengthened glass. The laser experimental results at. 1.54 mu m from flashlamp pumping are also reported.

Spectroscopic properties of Nd3+-doped high silica glass prepared by sintering porous glass

A new kind of Nd3+, -doped high silica glass (SiO2 > 96% (mass fraction)) was obtained by sintering porous glass impregnated with Nd3+, ions. The absorption and luminescence properties of high silica glass doped with different Nd3+, concentrations were studied. The intensity parameters Omega(t) (t = 2, 4, 6), spontaneous emission probability, fluorescence lifetime, radiative quantum efficiency, fluorescence branching ratio, and stimulated emission cross section were calculated using the Judd-Ofelt theory. The optimal Nd3+ concentration in high silica glass was 0.27% (mole fraction) because of its high quantum efficiency and emission intensity. By comparing the spectroscopic parameters with other Nd3+ doped oxide glasses and commercial silicate glasses, the Nd3+-doped high silica glasses are likely to be a promising material used for high power and high repetition rate lasers.